Magnum Family Traditions
by SpnHemelLass
Summary: This is a series of vignettes, short stories, in which Thomas creates a series of Family Traditions for his 'found Family' of friends. It starts with St. Patrick's Day because he is a Sullivan after all. I doubt these will be mysteries or violent at all, so no like/no read...okay?
1. Magnum Family Traditions: St Patrick's

MAGNUM FAMILY TRADITIONS

Part One: St. Patrick's Day

How Thomas Spends St. Patrick's Day

(He is a Sullivan, after all!)  
*(*(*)*)*

Thomas Magnum came sauntering out of the guest house, bright and early, on a Sunday morning, dressed nicely in an attractive well-fitting pair of slacks, with a button up shirt in a conservative soft, spring green color with a rather attractive green silk tie and a tie pin fastening it in place in the early morning breeze of the trade winds that graced the estate this day. He wore a green, gray and brown, houndstooth-patterned sports coat, which fit him very nicely. Higgins squinted at him, never having seen him so professionally attired so early in the morning. The overall effect was rather formal for the relaxed sailor she thought she was coming to know. From the look of it she would bet the sports coat was a wool-silk-cotton blend of material. Later in the day that wool component would make the coat too warm, but she supposed it was fine in the early morning breeze.

It was 5:45 AM…where in the devil was the man going?

The two had recently started a bit of game of addressing each other in Espanol. Partially because now that she knew how lovely his accent was when he spoke the language, she rather enjoyed hearing it and keeping her conversational Spanish intact. "¿_A dónde va esta __hermosa__ mañana, señor_?"

"_A la iglesia, jovencita__…_"

"_Llegaste a la iglesia?_"

"_Si, __señorita_."

"_Si puedo preguntar, ¿a qué iglesia asistes esta hermosa mañana_?"

With a mischievous grin, the young man switched languages on her. "_Go dtí Eaglais Chaitliceach Naomh Pádraig, ar ndóigh, is é Lá Fhéile Pádraig tar éis an tsaoil_!"

Startled and a bit stunned, she bit out. "You bloody well speak Irish Gaelic, too?"

The man shrugged, "I am a Sullivan…that's a family name, not just a name choice, Higgy. I'm not fluent, by any means, but I speak a smattering of phrases and am able to converse, not very smoothly, but enough to make myself understood, in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic. My aunty June would have a fit if I lost my Gaelic…it's a part of my heritage."

"I must say, you manage it with a lovely, very Irish sounding lilt. Brava!" Higgins impulsively declared. Truly this man never failed to surprise her. For the first time, regarding his warm, brown, laughing eyes, she realized with their flecks of gold and {was that just a glimmer of green?} they DID make her think of the phrase from the song, '_When Irish eyes are smiling, sure it__'__s like a morn in spring, in the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing.__'_ Ordinarily, angels were about as far from Thomas Magnum as she could ever picture, but somehow it fit.

He tilted his head and gave her a quizzical. "What are you thinking, staring at me that way? Thinking a church is the last place you'd think I would _ever go?__"_

_"_Actually, no, I can totally picture that, now that I consider it. I truly can_.__"_

_"__Bueno, gracias por eso, senorita, te veré más tarde_."

"_Que tenga un tiempo bendecido, señor_"

"_Muchas gracias, mi amiga_." Thomas gave that funny little half bow he sometimes sketched in her direction when they spoke, a habit she was quickly coming to find rather charming.

_ "__Ve con Dios__!"_

_ "__'Adios, Jules__!"_

Thomas sauntered on towards the garage area and in just a few moments, Higgins heard the throaty roar of the Ferrari's engine and found herself smiling at the conversation she had just had.

Kumu was just inside the doors to the main house, observing the two unique individuals playing their little Spanish game. Her eyebrows had reached skyward as she heard Thomas switch gears into what she recognized as Irish Gaelic. But as he explained his heritage it actually made perfect sense.

The older woman suspected Thomas was far more multilingual than he let on. His reasons for hiding his abilities were his own and she respected that, so she was careful NOT to reveal her suspicions to the majordomo, though she suspected, it would eventually dawn on the British woman that he was, in fact, a polyglot. Something she realized when he had asked Kumu to start teaching him Hawaiian. The ease with which he was picking up the language and the lovely, correct way he had of enunciating it as he learned had convinced her that the man had a genuine gift with languages. If he wanted to keep that gift quiet, she would respect it, whatever his reasons.

*(*(*)*)*

Thomas pulled into the parking lot of St Patrick's Catholic Church, Honolulu, HI and smiled to see Rick Wright reclining on the hood of his Porsche in a lighter green sports coat with a pair of dark green slacks. He smiled at his friend as he emerged from the Ferrari, tossing him a lighthearted two-finger salute, to which Rick just grinned and shook his head in amusement. "_Buenos __días__, mi amigo!__"_

"You and Jules still playing your language game, Tommy?"

"_Si, un poquito_." Thomas acknowledged. "I still can't believe she didn't assume I spoke Spanish. I mean, 'Hello? I am a Hernandez'."

"Yeah, but did she know that before the Black Widow case?" Rick asked.

Thomas frowned slightly. "I assumed she did a deep dive background check on me when she heard I was coming to live on the estate, Rick."

Wright shook his head in a negative gesture. "She told me she didn't, Thomas…said it would seem somehow rude to do so to a semi-permanent guest on the estate, invited and 'sort of' employed by Robin. "

Magnum frowned at him, in evident disbelief. "That doesn't sound like her to me. The woman is nothing, if not thorough."

Rick shook his head. "Pot meet kettle, much? Anyway, she told me that and the way she said it, I believe."

"Okay, Rikki, if you believe it, I believe it." Magnum easily assented, knowing he could absolutely trust Rick's word.

"So, confession first?" Rick asked.

"Oh, yeah. The good padre is waiting…and confession is good for the soul." Thomas replied. In point of fact, the padre had made an arrangement with Magnum that the Sundays he knew TM would be attending, he would sit traditional confession for the man. Parts of Thomas were very traditional.

Amusing when you considered he was baptized, not as a Roman Catholic, but as an Episcopalian.

Even as Rick thought that the two cleared the front doors of the church, and Tommy automatically reached out with his right hand, dipped the same two fingers he'd saluted his friend with earlier, into the holy wáter and made the sign of the cross touching the holy wáter to his forehead, each of his shoulders, over his heart and up to his lips. Rick knew, because his friend had told him once that as he did so, in addition to the traditional 'In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost...' Thomas prayed, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." especially when it was before service. Few knew that Magnum was a person of quiet, complex and yet simple faith. He was extremely careful not to make a show of his beliefs, but he did believe.

Rick and TC had taken, for a while, to following Thomas to church, when he went Catholic, and hanging about close enough to hear what Thomas was confessing. That wasn't quite the invasión of privacy that it sounded like, {well, okay it was, but in a good cause} as it allowed them to know how he was really doing because he would tell the priest things in confession, that he would never admit to them. So, out of an ingrained habit, after Thomas had entered the parishioner's side of the confessional, Wright quietly drew near to be able to hear the quiet voices well enough, and had to stifle his laughter when he realized that Thomas was giving his confession all right, in Spanish…a language Wright understood only the smallest amount of. So Thomas had known what they were up to all along, and knowing the place of concern it came from, he'd allowed it - that little imp.

Once Rick recognized he was unlikely to appreciate any meaningful intelligence this fine Sunday, he wandered over to a statue of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus to pray. He put change in the donation box, lit a candle and knelt and prayed the Rosary from memory. Thomas emerged from the confessional and went to the main altar where the priest gave him absolution after he prayed his penance. When TM stood afterward, the priest leaned forward and made a request of him. Thomas shook his head explaining something to the man, shaking his head 'no', but the padre clearly wasn't taking no for an answer, because he leaned forward again and spoke softly into Thomas' ear. TM sighed and gave in gracefully. The priest left the sanctuary and returned a moment later with a hard guitar case.

Thomas smiled ruefully, but was blushing as he joined Rick and advised him, "Rick, I hope you don't mind, but we need to sit fairly far forward."

Rick shrugged, easily. "I don't mind, Thomas. What's with the guitar?"

Magnum was still blushing, "The good padre rather insistently asked me to sing, 'Be Thou My Vision', during service. I haven't practiced it or anything." He glanced down at the guitar case. "I'd better make sure the guitar is properly tuned for that." His eyebrows crept skyward. "Whoa, it's a Taylor! Cool."

"Are they a good guitar?"

"For acoustic, I think they are one of the best." Magnum gently took the guitar out of the case and gently stroked his hand over the surface of the guitar. He raised the side of the guitar up to his nose and took a sniff. "Mmm. Smells good enough to eat." He held it to Rick's nose. "Smell it."

Rick cautiously, not sure if TM was teasing him, took a sniff. "Whoa, KOA...appropriate for mass in a Hawaiian church."

Thomas took the guitar and carefully began tuning it by ear. When finished, he strummed it and Rick wasn't exactly an expert, but he admitted it had a beautiful tone and sound. "She's a beauty, isn't she, Rick?"

"She?"

"Guitars are always ladies, my friend, like ships and cars."

Rick smiled, tolerantly. "Don't let a feminist hear you say that."

Thomas frowned. "Why? I consider it a compliment?"

"You know, I don't even know if that's true…I just assumed feminists wouldn't like it. I could be wrong." Rick looked around the sanctuary and saw it was still empty, except for the two of them and a couple of altar ladies preparing the church for the service. "I think you have time if you want to practice, Thomas."

Glancing around himself, Thomas stood and went and spoke to one of the ladies and she replied, nodding her head, clearly encouraging him. He came back to the pew they had wound up in and began to softly play the guitar, and at the appropriate point, post intro, his voice rang out.

"Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart  
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art  
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night  
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word  
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord  
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son  
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise  
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always  
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art

High King of Heaven, my victory won  
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heav'n's Sun

Heart of my own heart, whate'er befall  
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all"

The two altar ladies had taken a seat nearby as he started the intro and they both quietly applauded. "That was beautiful, young man." The woman he had spoken to earlier said. "You were well chosen." She explained to the woman with her. "Father Clarence asked Thomas to sing that for us during service."  
"You are very good, Thomas."

There was that bright red blush again…Rick smiled at how self-conscious Magnum became when he was complimented for something he 'didn't really consider his gift'. He had to bite his cheek to keep from bursting into laughter when he heard Magnum saying. "I really don't consider music one of my gifts."

Both of the older women immediately rejoined. "Well, you would be wrong. It clearly is your gift – both the guitar playing and singing were beautiful."

Magnum smiled, giving in. "Thank you, ladies."

Father Guerreiro spoke up. "Clearly, Father Murphy knew what he was speaking about when he recommended you for this."

"Padre Mike put you up to this?" Thomas asked. "That little sneak."

"Well, I did ask him if he could recommend anyone and he knew you planned on being here for today's service. That's how the request came about."

Rick grinned as a rather impish thought occurred to him. He could record Thomas' performance for the ladies at the estate, as Tommy was putting on a bit of a _**cèilidh**_ there later. The ladies would enjoy seeing this, he thought. After his little venture into private entertainment for the religious lonely heart society, Thomas excused himself and went into a chapel. Rick smiled indulgently…he knew his friend was going to pray for the repose of the soul of his mother. He did that every time he went to a Catholic church. One more heinous thing to lay at Hannah's feet, that Thomas had never been able to say 'goodbye' to his mother while she lived. No matter what her reason was for betraying the team, that bitch, Hannah, deserved to die for what she did to Thomas. Just his humble opinion, of course, but he reckoned he had the right to feel the way he did. He'd been in the camps, too, also a victim of the woman's duplicity.

An hour and a half later, Thomas shook Father Clarence's hand on the steps of the church. "I was truly blessed by your homily, Father. Oh," He reached down and took the handle of the guitar case and held it out to the priest. "thanks for the loan."

The priest made a quelling motion with his hands. "No, Thomas…that is yours. It's a gift from Father Murphy."

Thomas gulped. "What? Really? For me? It's too much."

Rick noticed who was coming up behind the former SEAL and smiled, happily. "I don't agree, Thomas…I think it isn't nearly enough. Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friend." Father Mike Murphy responded as he grabbed Magnum's neck in his odd hug.

Magnum's eyes were wide as he practically petted the case. "Thank you, Father Mike…thank you."

Very seriously, Mike said. "Next year, St. Paddy's day at Pearl chapel…the same song, okay?"

"Anytime you want, Padre!" Thomas replied. Rick wondered if he even was aware of what he had just promised. The man was clearly in love, with a guitar; although Wright had to admit it was a beauty.

When Thomas parked the Ferrari in its garage and emerged from there, carrying a guitar case, Higgins' eyebrows went up. "That's new."

Thomas smiled. "Can you believe it? Father Murphy showed up at church this morning. He gave me this little beauty. I think I'll name her 'Sarah'."

The majordomo was amused. "You name your guitars?"

"Oh, one as special as this little lady, you have to." Thomas demurred.

Juliet noted that he turned and went back to the Ferrari to grab his sports coat, so it was too warm now, she mused. Magnum glanced down at his sports coat and smiled at her. "It was fine this morning, but once the sun is up for a while. My mom raised me to dress at least a certain minimum for church, but we didn't live in Hawaii." He reached up and took the tie off his neck, sighing with relief. Higgins cracked up to note it was a clip-on tie. "You really can't tie ties, can you, Magnum?"

"Juliet, you can't attend some of the schools I did and not know-how. I just hate doing it and am purposefully trying to forget how."

"Really, why?"

"The Navy 'cashiered me' out, Higgins. I don't have to do it anymore."

"Thomas, they didn't cashier you…you were granted a medical discharge which was certainly justified by what you went through."

"It felt like being cashiered to me, okay?"

Higgins shook her head, sorry she had brought the whole thing up.

"Anyway, I have to get this little lady inside….the heat isn't good for her." Thomas headed for the guest house. He turned back around towards her and called back. "I'll start setting up for the ceilidh as soon as I put Sarah away."

Higgins smiled and waved him on. He still is such a child, sometimes, she thought.

*(*(*)*)*

A short time later, his two friends showed up and helped him set up tables in an area that was nicely shaded out on the lawn. They helped him put green cloth tablecloths on with fasteners to keep them from blowing off if the breeze came up as had been predicted and began bringing out plates and dishes, glasses and metal buckets which held ice. The majordomo knew the Guinness and Harp lager bottles would go in those. There was also iced tea and lemonade died green. They brought out folding chairs for the guests they expected. Shammy was the first to arrive. Soon Detective Katsumoto arrived, along with McGarrett from 5-0, his partner, Danny Williams and his son Charlie, and ex-wife, Rachel, whom Juliet had rather hit it off with as they were both British ex-pats, indeed all the members of 5-0 had been invited, whom among them would actually show up, Higgins didn't know. Father Mike Murphy showed up and both TC and Rick went over to greet him. She was more than a bit surprised when three bagpipers and a group of Irish dancers showed up as well. Thomas Magnum was really going all out. She recognized some people Thomas had helped on cases among the guests.

Thomas came out with Rick and TC carrying warming trays she knew held multiple corned beeves, the trays with Irish soda bread that Kumu had delighted to inform her the man had made from scratch, covered in plastic to keep it from being accosted with bugs, warming trays with cabbage, carrots and baby red potatoes completed the feast. There was also Kerrygold butter in containers on ice.

The bagpipers opened the festivities with some traditional Irish music and the Irish dancers danced. Thomas came up and advised everyone. "We'll enjoy more of this later. Father Murphy, if you'd kick-off dinner, please."

Father Murphy came behind the table, blessed the meal, and led grace. Thomas then spoke up. "Alright, everyone – welcome. Don't stand on ceremony. The food is hot, let's eat!"

The guests queued up and took what they desired on their plates, the silverware they wanted, and wandered off to seats to eat the meal. The food was delicious and the Irish soda bread was excellent. She asked Rick who wandered over by her at one point. "Did Thomas really make this bread from scratch?"

"Hey, our Tommy is a very good cook and an even better baker. Heck, yeah, he made it from scratch. His grams taught him. Wait until he brings out dessert later. His shortcake is to die for."

"The man is multi-talented." Higgins admitted.

"Jules," Rick replied, "you have no idea."

After dinner, Thomas, Rick, and TC handed out laminated booklets that had the words to Irish themed songs, explaining there would be a sing-along later. The bagpipers played more Irish airs and jigs and the dancers danced…it was really a lovely party. Finally, Thomas brought out his new gal pal, Sarah, and sat down and Rick set up a microphone and battery-powered speaker. When Magnum began to strum, Higgins smiled. Rick had shown her and Kumu a video of Thomas doing this song earlier from the church service. "Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart…" She was as English as they came, but she loved this hymn. He followed that with Lord of the Dance, Wild Colonial Boy, The Irish Rover, The Wild Rover, My Wild Irish Rose, The Minstrel Boy, The Black Velvet Band and he encouraged the guests to join in as they wished. As the evening progressed, Magnum went around and spoke briefly to all his guests. He seemed very contented as he played host. Soon, Rick and TC disappeared into the guest house and came out with the dessert trays. Rick had been right, the shortbread, like the earlier Soda Bread, was delicious. To end the evening, Thomas, Rick, Father Murphy and McGarrett went up and Thomas played his new guitar as they sang DANNY BOY and last, Thomas started in on a favorite song of Higgins…NOW IS THE HOUR…with the other three joining in.

Sunset glow fades in the west,  
Night o'er the valley is creeping!  
Birds cuddle down in their nest,  
Soon all the world will be sleeping

Now is the hour when we must say goodbye,  
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea,  
While you're away, o, then remember me,  
When you return, you'll find me waiting here

True lovers often must part,  
Kiss me, then leave me to sorrow!  
Here love, I give you my heart,  
You will return some glad morrow

But now is the hour when we must say goodbye,  
Soon you'll be sailing far across the sea,  
While you're away, o, then remember me,  
When you return, you'll find me waiting here.

As the last words faded away, applause broke out. Thomas looked embarrassed, but bowed and gestured to the others, urging them to do the same.

The bagpipers came up, played AMAZING GRACE and Thomas bid the guests goodnight, and turned to begin clearing up. Steve and Danno immediately talked to him, insisting on doing the clearing up for him and many of the women in the crowd came forward to assist. Magnum looked uncomfortable with allowing it, but Rick and TC intervened and he finally gave in. Kumu went over, kissed Thomas on the forehead and thanked him for a lovely evening. Higgins wandered over next. "Thomas, thank you. This was wonderful. I think Robin Masters would have loved it."

"Well, thank you for letting me have it here, Higgins."

"This is your home, Thomas…of course, you have the right to put on a soirée occasionally and you did ask me very nicely first." Thomas smiled at her with twinkling eyes.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this little venture into a holiday tradition for the found family of Magnum.


	2. M Family Traditions: Christmas

Christmas Crackers Part the 1st

*** * * ( * * ) * * * **

By Spn Hemel Lass

*** * * ( * * ) * * ***

Higgins was quiet at the breakfast meeting where she and Thomas signed a contract to provide ongoing background checks, criminal past investigations and financial reviews for interviewees for jobs at a small medical technology start-up that a friend of Robin's had started on Oahu. This contract tied Higgins and Magnum Investigations to the start-up for the next five years solid with options to renew out into the foreseeable future. Even if the business went under at some point, the owner would be obligated to continue to pay a monthly stipend of a minimum of $1000 a month whether they had to perform a check on a potential employee or not. That kind of regular income was just what their fledgling partnership needed to really get off the ground, but Higgins was pondering another Christmas alone in a large mansion. Was she turning into a female version of Scrooge? Bah, Humbug, indeed.

Thomas Magnum regarded Juliet with a quizzical frown. For as excited as she had seemed by the prospect of an ongoing financial income from back just before Thanksgiving when he'd asked her to join him for the initial meeting, she seemed distant and almost glum now. He just didn't get her sometimes. Bill Endor, the friend of Robin's (whom he had introduced to Robin, but he wasn't going to tell Higgins that) who had started MedClimbMate from a program he and Thomas had initially designed to improve medical care in the military-medical field. Another fact Higgins must never learn or his faking being a Ludd-ite to get Higgins to work with him on cases would be exposed.

That Thomas Magnum could help design, develop and write a program capable of the things the basic program did on the fly because of a need he and Bill found while they were in the field in Iraq wasn't something the former MI6 operative needed to know. This contract was going to put their joint investigative venture on a footing he'd never even dreamed of when he first decided to become a private investigator. The $1,000 a month was just a baseline….each investigation they did on companies that MedClimbMate was thinking of signing contracts with, and on potential investors, and on potential employees would pay the duo on a pre-agreed scale which could make the two of them the best paid private investigators in the Hawaiian Island chain…and maybe in the United States period. Plus, it would be fun…and their first investigation was already planned though not yet slated for when.

It was a bit dependent on Brexit actually happening, because neither Bill nor Thomas, who still kept in his programming chops by helping Bill out with ideas, plans and execution hints from time to time, would ever lease, sell or subscribe with a member of the European Union for them to utilize MedClimbMate's base program or any other. The Brits only knew about the program because they had seen it used by US medical units in the Middle Eastern theaters. They really wanted to have access to the program, but Thomas and Bill had both been reluctant until Brexit became a possibility. Recent political developments looked to be making a truly independent, allied UK a real possibility again, but time would tell where that would go.

And here Higgins hadn't even demanded to read the contract and review it which was sort of good because she would have realized that this was a much bigger venture then she had previously understood from the initial discussions back in November. She'd allowed Magnum and a friend of his (former military and a friend of Tom's from Academy days) who was a very, very good, high paid lawyer (and wouldn't Jules be surprised if she realized some of the highfaluting friends Thomas was completely comfortable with and palled around with easily) work out the details and wrote the contract with Bill over a series of meetings at La Mariana. But why was Higgy so distant and uninvolved? He just didn't get it. She wasn't even reading the contract, just signing each place Thomas and Bill alternated in pointing out to her for her signature. Thomas cocked his head and regarded her, beginning to be a bit worried. He knew it might get bitten off, but he instinctively reached over with the back of his hand and felt Higgins' forehead. Well, that brought her around.

"Thomas Sullivan Magnum, what in the Hell do you think you are doing?" Juliet Higgins demanded, slapping his hand off her forehead and down to the tabletop holding it in place in what was a very uncomfortable position for Thomas.

"I was checking to see if you were coming down with an infection or something."

"Oh, great communication skills there, Thomas…do you even know or understand the Queen's English?" Juliet sniped at him.

Thomas grinned impishly. "And she's back!" He was relieved. If Juliet was sniping at him like that, she wasn't sick. So what was bugging her? Maybe it was time to reveal his plans for Christmas to the Englishwoman. He'd been working on this year's Christmas celebration since just after Halloween. He was really looking forward to the new Magnum Ohana Traditions he was hoping to start this Christmas…he couldn't always count on Nuzo's family being his Christmas celebration, clearly. This year he had taken them to the airport before Thanksgiving and they had stayed over with Nuzo's brother and Ahmed all the way through now. This might become their new family tradition, so it was time to reinstitute the Magnum Christmases they had first celebrated in Iraq and later in Afghanistan.

Higgins couldn't help it, she smiled as she released his hand and chastised him. "Sorry I have been a bit distracted…it's just Christmas is getting close and I'm not looking forward to another Christmas alone in the main house with no celebration. I'm trying to think of what I can do…"

Thomas absolutely beamed at her. "Well, wonder no more…you are invited to the Magnum Ohana Christmas celebration and party in the guest house."

"I thought you always spent Christmas with the guys and Nuzo's family?"

The smile faded a bit. "That was just a last year thing, I'm afraid. Lara and Jake are staying until after New Year's with Paulie and the greater Nuzo family back east, so I won't even see them again until next year, but last year at the Nuzo's was to help them through the first Christmas after Bast died. I couldn't let Jake not have a Christmas, Sebastian would never have forgiven me. Don't get me wrong, I'll miss Jake and Lara, but they are Paulie's family, not mine."

"They are a part of YOUR family, too." Bill Endor pointed out, firmly. "Bast would kick your ass for thinking any different and you know it."

"I suppose I could join you. What do you need me to do?" Juliet was a bit surprised to feel a thrill of excitement at being included in an Ohana celebration for the season with her boys and she knew Thomas could throw a holiday celebration worthy of enjoying from both St. Patrick's Day and Thanksgiving at La Mariana as he had played a major part in making the latter the success it had wound up being.

"Absolutely nothing…oh, wait. Do you think you could get me some Birds custard and do you happen to know how to make Yorkshire pudding?"

Higgins' made a face. "Well, I have a killer recipe, but I am terrible at making it…it never ever turns out anything like Mum's. I'm a failure as a British cook. The Birds custard is no problem though. I'll get on that as soon as we get home."

"Okay, great…you also need to get yourself a Christmas sweater. I know everybody else calls them 'ugly sweaters' but I think they are cute and whimsical, not ugly. Also, a onesie or Christmas themed pajamas would be good."

"Pajamas?" Thomas hated to hear the hesitation coming into her voice.

"Yep…to clarify the Magnum Ohana Christmas celebration is a slumber party. It starts Christmas Eve and goes through Boxing Day."

"Wait, you know about Boxing Day? But you are as American as apple pie."

"Yes, but my Aunt Sarah is Irish and lived in England for years, and my heritage and grandmother are very much English. I need the Birds to make a proper trifle."

Jules' eyebrows were reaching the stratosphere as she asked. "You know how to make a trifle?"

"Well, it isn't one hundred percent a traditional trifle, I prefer using my homemade shortbread to proper ladyfingers," he explained a bit nervously.

"Oh, that sounds like a distinct improvement on the traditional…" Higgins' responded, a note of eagerness creeping into her voice.

Thomas smiled…now he was really beginning to get excited for the holiday that was coming up.

Her head back in the game, Higgins pulled the contract closer to herself and said. "Now let me see what's in this bad boy I've been signing without reading…have I signed my life away yet?"

"Never happen." Thomas grinned. "I think you'll like what you see in here." The Juliet he knew and trusted to always have his back was back and engaged again. Bill smiled at his friend's enthusiasm for his new partner, he knew both he and the fledgling partners were getting an excellent deal in this contract and he was happy, seeing Thomas engaged in a flirty-ish friendship with a woman after the disaster with Hannah in Myanmar and his recent break-up with Abby.

**A/N PS: So what do you think? Have you all had enough of the Holiday Season, or will you join me on this adventure into a Magnum Ohana Christmas? Is this worth continuing or is it boring? And once I finish...who wants me to go back and write the Thanksgiving event at La Mariana?**

End of Part One


	3. M Family Traditions: H2 Chr Crackers P2

Christmas Crackers, Part the Second

*** * * ( * * ) * * * **

**by Sylvia Mohr**

*** * * ( * * ) * * ***

Over the next few days, Higgins found herself decorating in the main house, humming Christmas songs and feeling rather jolly about the approaching holiday. She also experienced some distinct frustration as Magnum had hung a laminated note on the door of the guest house that proclaimed Higgins was to "KEEP OUT, SANTA'S ELVES ARE AT WORK...HIGGINS, THIS MEANS YOU! Kumu has promised me she won't spy for you either so stick with it, Kumu! Mahalo, Jules and Kumu ~~ TM"

Juliet had been impressed and found herself a bit amazed by the contract. It had included plans to investigate governments...(Governments, for pity sake!) for warning signs of various abuses or failures to comply with principles of human liberty, independence, freedom of thought and speech, freedom of religion, freedom to change religion, human rights abuses, lack of democratic principles...any of those things would make that government ineligible to buy, lease or use the programs sold by Endor's company; individuals with a criminal history could work for the company if they agreed to on an ongoing basis during their employment be reviewed for current or past activity that was inconsistent with the principles of the company; all signing parties had to agree to comply with not just HIPAA regulations, but other medico-legal principles which were spelled out in the incorporation papers of MedCliMate, which Higgins had not yet read, though Magnum had made it clear he was extremely familiar with them; so they were not just doing background investigations; they would be investigating those looking to sign up for services. She was intrigued by the whole thing.

What exactly did this company do? She knew the main program was a medical records database which also could troll the internet for any information needed to treat just about any medical condition rapidly over multiple languages and governmental medical bureaucracies, finding quickly needed information and retrieving the data and how to contact those who knew the most about the disorder or injury. It also maintained the records of injuries treated in the field for each soldier, sailor, whatever, even civilians from the area whom the US medics treated. It had been groundbreaking when it first came on the scene in the Middle Eastern theater and the British government had been trying to enroll so they could use the program for their military for years, but been stymied because the owners of the company were uncomfortable with nations that were part of the European Union.

Jules wondered a bit about that. What did Endor have against the EU? She knew he had a silent partner who also worked with him, but her curiosity fueled efforts to find out who this silent partner was had totally failed...and the security around the companies computers seemed to be unhackable. She certainly hadn't gotten anywhere and didn't want to push too hard because this was an important opportunity for her and Magnum. She didn't want to blow it for them by being too curious.

The contract was currently being reviewed by the lawyer she used on the island, the same one used by the estate and Robin Masters. He advised her it had some unusual provisions, but none of them were unsound or outlandish, they just indicated caution on the part of the writers whom she knew to be a lawyer friend of Thomas, a former JAG officer; Bill Endor and Magnum himself. She wondered how much Magnum had really been involved in that writing, but he wasn't sharing that information with her. Still, the contract they had signed was very lucrative for their young business and there was nothing improper or imprudent in it, so she had only positive feelings about the company and found she really liked Bill Endor. There was something about the man that made her want to trust him and it was clear that Thomas and Bill totally trusted each other and were connected in some way that neither had really shared with her. She knew Endor had served with Thomas on an ongoing basis, but she understood that that had been some time ago...before Thomas and the boys served in Afghanistan from what she understood.

Higgins was enjoying her morning coffee on the verandah when Thomas emerged from the guest house to join her, carrying a mug of something that he seemed to be enjoying as he sipped. It smelled like tea, so her nose crinkled in disdain. Thomas smiled at the reaction. "Sorry, Higgins, but I LIKE tea."

"Just don't ask me to drink it."

"I won't. Do you like peppermint tea?"

"It's alright, I guess. I like peppermint, certainly."

"How about hot cocoa?"

"Of course, who doesn't like hot cocoa?"

"With or without the little marshmallows?"

"Oh, with the marshmallows, absolutely!"

"Do you like whipped cream on it?"

"We are still talking about hot cocoa, right?"

Thomas looked confused. "Of course, what else would I be talking about?

"In that case, certainly."

"Are you firmly vegan, or will you partake in the prime rib on Christmas Day?"

"Oh, Prime Rib on Christmas Day, I am absolutely in for!" Juliet assured him. "Is that why you wanted the recipe for Yorkshire pudding?"

"Yep."

"I'll go fetch it in a bit. So what's the big mystery about the guest house?"

"I'm decorating it and getting it all cleaned and ready for the slumber party. Do you have a sleeping bag...or can you make up a bedroll?"

Higgins smiled. "I have a sleeping bag...are we sleeping on the floor?"

"Yep, I have foam pads to put under our sleeping bags. The days when I could sleep on the floor or the ground without some kind of padding are passed, I'm afraid." Thomas explained. "I'm always in a certain amount of pain...arthritis in all the breaks I got in the Korengal and sore muscles from all the abuse we suffered over there have put paid to my peak fitness."

"It doesn't slow you down much."

Thomas shrugged, "I don't let it. It is just how I have always chosen to deal with pain. I push past it. Put it in a box in my head and slam shut the lid. I still feel it, but I just choose to ignore it and move past the pain and keep going. However, when it reaches a certain level, I'll go to bed and sleep to get away from it. Or I'll drink a couple of beers or take a hit of some harder spirits to dull it. I just live with it, you know?" Again he shrugged. "I tried taking pain meds, but unless something like a wound or new injury is added to it, I try to stay away from even Tylenol or Motrin unless absolutely necessary. Just don't like the way they affect me."

Higgins smiled slightly. "So I've noticed."

"It's not a macho thing, Higgins. I don't like the dulling of my senses. It goes against the instincts and training drummed into me in the SEALS to dull my senses and the fact I don't have kept me safe more than a time or two even since coming to Oahu."

Juliet nodded. "Believe it or not, Thomas, I am starting to understand that about you. Still haven't thought of anything I can provide or help with."

"Your presence is the contribution the guys and I need. It wouldn't be a full family gathering if you weren't there. Would you mind if we included Shammy in the festivities?"

"Of course not, Thomas. He has truly become a part of your ohana, hasn't he? I'm just glad to be a part of it myself. It feels good to belong to a family again."

Thomas smiled, clearly agreeing with the woman on that. "That's what led to the formation of our little family. We needed to belong, so we chose to belong to each other. The military may be what brought Nuzo, TC, Rick and I together, but we chose to become family." He smiled. "Nuzo was the brains, Rick was the heart, TC was the wings…"

"I wonder if they would agree with that. So what are you, the soul?"

Thomas shook his head. "We are all the soul. I'm just the neediest of us."

Higgins frowned slightly feeling like he was putting himself down. "Somehow I doubt that."

"Don't. I had always wanted brothers…my parents planned on having lots of kids before Victor Charlie intervened, so I needed that feeling of belonging to a family again. I never really had that at the schools I went to…I was always the odd man out until I was assigned to Nuzo as swim buddies in BUD/S and that's when my found family began. "

"What do you mean you were the odd man out?"

"The outlier…I lost track of the times I was called a spic or a wetback and I was always treated like I didn't really belong. Blacks and Orientals were accepted without hesitation, but I was usually the only Hispanic in the cadets, so I tended to be isolated and ostracized." He shrugged as if that didn't matter at all, but the terms he had used made clear to the Brit that he was talking about having been excluded, because of his parentage. She had never considered that he might have experienced such prejudice at the military academies he had spent so much time in. "Honestly, that was true even in my hometown. When I went to kindergarten, my first day I got beat up pretty good. The guys at school didn't think someone who looked like me deserved to carry the last name Magnum which was a pretty important name in those parts with a history going back to the founding of the country." He smiled.

"I came home and my dad had an absolute conniption fit and came to school with me the next morning and told the teacher and the boys a few choice facts about my mom's background to make it clear to them that my family roots in America went back to before the US had become a country, period, so I was even more American than they were. He started teaching me how to defend myself that day."

Higgins was intrigued. "What did he share?"

Thomas shook his head. "Not now, Higgy. I have to run some errands, a few last-minute things I have to get before tomorrow. Catch you later, okay?"

"Are we still having that meeting at La Mariana tonight?"

Thomas nodded and headed towards the garage. "Now stay out of the guest house. I don't want you to spoil the surprise."

"I won't. I promise." The former MI6 agent had to smile at how excited Magnum seemed to be about the celebration they were going to have together.

**A/N: An editor would probably say this doesn't advance the story enough, but I like it, so here it is. Hope you enjoy it and weren't too bored.**


	4. Ch 4: M Family Traditions: Chr Crackers

Christmas Crackers Part the 3rd

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By Spn Hemel Lass

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Later that evening, Juliet offered to drive Thomas to La Mariana for their meeting. Thomas surprised her by agreeing at once and when they met at the black Ferrari, she noticed he was limping. "What did you do to yourself, Magnum?"

"I think it's supposed to rain tomorrow night, remember I told you I'm always in some pain? Well, sometimes it flares up when a certain kind of storm is coming in. I still haven't figured out what the differences are between the storms that do trigger it and don't, but it's just the way it is, you know?" Thomas replied easily.

She looked at Thomas a bit suspiciously, but couldn't really disagree with his point because her mother always said that certain rainstorms made her bones ache when they were coming. "Will you be alright for our celebration?"

"Oh, yeah, I have some Motrin 800 to take after I eat at La Mariana so I'll be fine, besides, foam pads, remember?"

"So the packages you received today at the estate were for our celebration?"

"Yep. That's right." Thomas smiled as he responded. "And don't ask...it would spoil the surprise."

"Oh, that's fine, Thomas. I find I'm looking forward to being surprised."

"Good. It'll be fun."

When the duo arrived at La Mariana, Rick greeted them at the door as he was just bringing in a package that had been delivered. "Hey, Thomas, Jules...Bill's waiting at your table. I swear, guys, I'm going to have an engraved plate with your name on it put on the forward-facing edge of that table!"

"Good to see you, too, buddy." Thomas handed Rick an envelope.

"What's this?"

"I'm officially starting an account for our investigation team with you, Rick. That's the first payment on the tab."

Rick frowned slightly but opened the envelope. "Holy moly, how much is this, pal?"

"$1,500 to start. Is that okay?"

"Good Lord, Thomas, you don't even owe me anything right now."

Thomas grinned. "And now I won't for a while either. Should help with your loan repayment with TC, right?"

"Thomas, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. It's yours and I am not taking it back, got that?"

Rick shook his head and smiled at his friend. "Got it, Thomas. Thank you."

Higgins smiled at her partner. She definitely approved of what he had just done, though how he was affording it, she wondered. She gave him a quizzical look and he explained as they headed to 'their' table. "I just got dispersal from the WK foundation. And yes, before you ask, I have another envelope just like that for TC. Well, a bit more money, but you get the idea. I want us to finish the year in the black."

"Thomas, my only objection is that we are a partnership and you didn't check with me so I could kick in my share."

"My treat this time," TM replied easily. "Our partnership is only really starting to pay off now, so let me absorb this one."

"And you still want your pay after expenses to go to the Foundation? Is that a tax dodge?"

"No. It's just how I want it, okay? I told you the taxes and business license and payments I need to make all come out before the money goes to the WK Foundation. I just prefer the money to go there, okay?"

"All right, Thomas, it just seems a bit curious to me you don't want your pay to come to you directly."

Thomas sighed. "I just figure if I had gone into the priesthood, I wouldn't have gotten a paycheck. A life of service shouldn't be all about how much you get paid."

Higgins did a double-take. "Wait 'alf a mo, YOU thought about becoming a priest?"

Thomas cracked up. "Okay, toff, where did the Cockney accent come from just now? And, yes, Higgy, even though I knew the family expectation was for me to be in the military, I did fantasize and dream about other options. We DO have Chaplains in the US military, you know, (number one) and (number two) I also dreamed about being a firefighter, or an astronaut after a career of being a Navy Pilot."

Rick was over behind the bar. "Hey, buddy, that last was a viable possibility. Remember Eugene Cernan was a Navy pilot before he became an Astronaut and the last man to walk on the moon, so far."

Thomas nodded, agreeing with the point. "Many of the astronauts were former military pilots."

"I'll be honest. A girl I dated came from Cernan's hometown and she used to work at the public library in their hometown. She always talked about how she knew what his kids liked to read and would keep new books behind the counter about the time of year Cernan always took his leave and brought his kids to stay for a month at his Mom and Dad's house in Bellwood. That's the main reason I know about Cernan."

Bill Endor stood as Thomas and Higgins reached the table. He shook Thomas'' hand and gave Higgins a hug. "Good to see you guys. By the way, can you start on doing a pre-employment check as soon as possible after Christmas?"

"Is the day after Boxing Day soon enough?" Thomas asked with his easy-going grin.

"I've never forgotten the Christmas I spent hanging out with you guys at the base in Iraq, that year. I couldn't believe you could have that much fun and such a homey feeling in a warzone, so far from home. You even made the incoming mortar rounds fun."

Rick looked at him and said, "I don't think so, Endor; that's a stretch too far."

"Sorry, it cracked me up you guys making bets on where the rounds would actually land and you were usually right."

"That was just the result of too much experience. Did I ever repay you everything I owed you from that, Rick?"

"Yes, Thomas, you did. And you won quite a few of the bets, so ultimately I think we all broke even!"

"This will be Higgins' first real Magnum Christmas celebration, Bill, so it will be extra special. I know you are going to Kauai with Ernest and James from the company, but next year, you should join us at the estate, buddy."

"Sounds like a plan, TM." Eddie handed Thomas a folder. "All the potential employee's info is in here and his signed agreement to the background checks in all their forms. I think he'll be a really great addition to the company, so I'm really hoping you don't dig up anything that red flags it, but don't even look at it until after the holidays, okay? Promise?"

"Not even a worry about that, my friend, not even a worry about that. Have a blessed Christmas, Bill."

Bill held up his hands in a whoa-ing motion. "Hold on a moment there, my friend." He took an envelope out of his business jacket and handed it to Higgins who handed it to Thomas who handed it right back to her. "That's a signing bonus, Thomas; and don't even try to talk me out of it. I wouldn't have a company to begin with without your input back there in Iraq, my friend, so that is fully earned and totally deserved!"

Thomas blushed. "You didn't have to do that, Bill. It wasn't in the contract."

"Too freaking bad, Tommy; it's yours now and I am not taking it back."

Rick shook his head and barked out a laugh. "He's got you there, buddy!"

Thomas smiled. "Okay. Higgins, you take care of getting that in our business account, for me?"

"Of course, Thomas," She replied easily.

"Well, Thomas, I have to bounce. TC is running me and the guys over to Kauai and I don't want to be late."

"Yeah, doesn't look so good when the boss is late, huh? See you soon, my friend."

"For sure, Thomas, for sure."

"You have good friends, Thomas," Higgins remarked after Bill had left. She opened the envelope. "Good Lord, Magnum, this is $3,000. That's quite a signing bonus."

"That's why Bill left so quick. He knew I'd say it was too much."

Rick laughed. "Pot meet kettle. He turned the tables on you for me, didn't he?"

Thomas stuck his tongue out at his friend. "I figured you would like that."

"Hey, turnabout is fair play, buddy."

**A/N: Okay, a small confession. I'm from Bellwood, Eugene Cernan's hometown and I did work in the public library at a point and, yes, I really did check books out to Eugene Cernan for his kids when he was on leave from the Navy that I had set aside because I knew what they liked to read, so that was a bit of a Mary Sue moment. Anyway, there will be more soon.**


	5. Ch 5 M Family Traditions H2 Chr Crackers

Christmas Crackers Part the Fourth

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By SpnHemelLass

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Shortly after Bill Endor left, Juliet excused herself to use the 'loo'. Immediately, Rick came over to the table and bent forward to speak to Magnum in a soft voice. "Hey, Thomas, I noticed you were limping as you came in, what's going on?"

TM shrugged. "It's not a big deal, Rick. My hip is just a bit sore today." The moment and subterfuge were totally blown, however, when Gordon Katsumoto walked in looking irritated as usual where Thomas was concerned.

"Thomas Sullivan Magnum the fourth, what in the hell?" Katsumoto demanded, in a rather surly tone. "I looked around yesterday afternoon and you were nowhere to be found. I need your statement and your doctor's report for my records.

Magnum sighed in response, "There is no doctor's report, Katsumoto."

"No doctor's report…now really, what the hell? You were stabbed in the freaking hip by that idiot!"

"Stabbed, in the hip?" Rick demanded, sounding more than a little irate himself. "And you didn't go to the doctor? Let me guess, you passed off some bullshit excuse about being achy to Higgins to explain you're limping to her, right?"

TM had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed, but he said, defensively, "Rick, I am not going to spend hours in an emergency room this close to Christmas with this being Higgy's first Magnum Family Christmas. It would spoil the whole thing."

Katsumoto let out a long-suffering sigh, "Oh, for cry-aye, Magnum, I could have gotten your case expedited in the ER. What's the big deal about a Magnum Family Christmas, anyway?"

"No, I get what Tommy is saying there. His Christmas Slumber Parties are great!" Rick enthused, "Higgins is going to love it. Why didn't you invite Gordy, TM?"

"I assumed he'd have plans with his son," Magnum explained.

"No, his mom has him at Christmas every year. But, a slumber party? What are you guys, teenage girls?"

Thomas smiled at the sarcasm. "The first Magnum Family Christmas celebrations were in Iraq when Robin was embedded with us, Katsumoto. The Slumber party aspect was partially because the team shared a hut as our base of operations and we invited Robin to stay with us in our hut for the duration of the holidays…those first ones were broken up a bit, not continuous, because we still had to guard convoys and run ops as assigned, but they were fun, weren't they, Rick?"

"Back to your hip, Thomas. I saw you wiggling the knife back and forth to get it out of your hip…" Gordon interrupted. Rick was wincing at the mental image that description triggered.

"Yeah," TM admitted, "that took some work. It was embedded in the bone there, pretty darn good."

"Oh, good grief, Tommy! Get your ass into my office and let me have a look at the damage you did to yourself." Rick demanded, sounding more than a little stressed.

"Rick, I took care of it. And I didn't stab myself in the hip, so how is it damage I did to myself?"

"As in you got stitches and were seen by a medical professional?" Rick asked, already knowing that wasn't the case. "And I meant the damage you did to yourself by not being seen by a professional, or me, right away, Thomas, as you very well know!"

"No, as in I slapped a pressure bandage on it until I got home. Showered and washed the wound really good with soap and water, then poured hydrogen peroxide in it followed by rubbing alcohol…I put a whole bunch of Neosporin into the wound and outside it and re-bandaged it. That will hold it until after Boxing Day."

"Boxing Day? Now you follow English traditions?" Katsumoto asked, looking confused. "Or is that in honor of Higgins being there?"

"No," Rick explained, "Boxing Day was always a part of the celebration… Anyway, get your ass in my office, TM, seriously. NOW!" He was extra concerned because he had noted two things. Every few seconds, Thomas's hand strayed to his old scar from the camps when he had been stabbed and had been bleeding so bad that Nuzo had had to use gunpowder from stolen bullets to stop the hemorrhaging and he rubbed it lightly. Each time he did that his hand went down to his hip and he scratched at the bandage Rick could tell from the bulge in his board shorts was under there. He realized quickly that Thomas had been doing both things the entire time he had been at La Mariana.

Katsumoto tried to intervene. "Come on, Magnum. I'll take you to the ER."

"No, you won't," Thomas said firmly. "I have the right to refuse treatment if I want to. And I definitely want to."

"For now…" Rick added just as firmly. "You will be seeing a doctor after the holiday (and I am NOT including New Year's in the 'holiday', buddy)!"

The detective shook his head. "And my statement?"

"I'll come by the precinct as soon as Rick is done torturing me." Thomas grinned at his friend to take any sting out of the words.

"So, you will tell Higgins what happened? I doubt that." Rick snarked back at him.

"Okay, as soon as we get home from being here, I'll come in." TM allowed.

"You are going to drive with that hip, Thomas? I don't think so. We'll make some kind of excuse to Higgins and I'll take you after I've doctored you up."

Thomas was going to counter offer something, but both Rick and Katsumoto barked. "Office, NOW!"

He shook his head, sighed as if much put upon, but stood slowly, having to grab the table as his injured area had stiffened up while he had been sitting there. Rick grabbed his arm and supported TM as they headed into his office behind the bar. The limp was quite a bit more pronounced as they did so and Gordon's frown deepened, showing his concern for his frenemy. As they passed the bar, TM asked the bartender, "Make some kind of excuse to Higgins to cover for me and tell her I will be back out shortly, okay?"

Rick smirked as he nodded at the bartender to signal it was okay to comply with his friend's request, as the trio went into his office.

**A/N: True confessions? I have arthritis in my entire body (which is only logical in a way because I have had it since I was 5 or 6, depending on when you count it beginning, back to when I had rheumatic fever at 5 or when my family doctor officially told my parents I had JRA juvenile-onset rheumatoid arthritis a year later). So, one day I woke up with my hip hurting really bad and decided to torment Thomas with similar aches and pains, because after he and the others had been held in cages, and he had been beaten, tortured, starved and generally mistreated by the Taliban, I refuse to believe he wouldn't have developed chronic pain and various and sundry aches and pains...and yes, arthritis in all the injured areas. Also, I know I said these short Magnum Family stories wouldn't have mysteries or violence, but this decided to insert itself into this story. Hope y'all don't mind too much.**


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